Privacy_Policy

01. Introduction

At Machicrate, we are committed to protecting your privacy and personal data. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and protect your information when you use the Machicrate platform (machicrate.com), including our plugin builder, plugin store, and related services (collectively, the "Service").

By accessing or using the Service, you consent to the collection, use, and processing of your data as described in this policy. If you do not agree with this Privacy Policy, please do not use the Service.

02. Data We Collect

We collect personal information that you voluntarily provide to us when you register for an account, use our services, or contact us. The types of data we collect include:

03. How We Use Your Data

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

• To create and manage your account, and provide access to the Service.
• To process subscription payments, plugin purchase transactions, and manage billing through Stripe — including calculating and applying platform fees on paid plugin sales.
• To host, display, and distribute your plugins through our plugin store.
• To communicate with you about your account, updates, and changes to the Service.
• To detect, prevent, and address fraud, abuse, and security issues.
• To enforce our Terms of Service, including our user-generated content policies.
• To analyze website traffic, user behavior, and engagement patterns using Google Analytics.
• To measure advertising effectiveness, track conversions, and build audiences for targeted advertising on Meta (Facebook) platforms using Meta Pixel.
• To improve and optimize the Service based on aggregate usage patterns.
• To comply with legal obligations and respond to lawful requests.

04. Third-Party Services

We work with trusted third-party service providers to operate and improve the Service. We only share data that is necessary for these providers to perform their functions:

• Stripe: Payment processing for subscriptions and plugin purchases. Stripe handles your payment data under their own privacy policy.
• Cloud Infrastructure: Hosting and storage of your plugin files and account data on secure cloud servers.
• Authentication Providers: If you choose to sign in with a third-party provider (e.g., Discord, Google), we receive basic profile information from that provider.
• Google Analytics: We use Google Analytics, a web analytics service provided by Google LLC, to analyze website traffic and user behavior. Google Analytics uses cookies and similar technologies to collect information such as how often you visit our site, what pages you visit, and what other sites you visited prior to coming to our site. Google's ability to use and share information collected by Google Analytics is governed by the Google Privacy Policy. You can opt out of Google Analytics by installing the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on.
• Meta (Facebook) Pixel: We use Meta Pixel, a tracking tool provided by Meta Platforms, Inc., to measure advertising effectiveness, track conversions, and build custom audiences for advertising on Facebook and Instagram. Meta Pixel collects data about your interactions with our website and may use this data to show you relevant advertisements on Meta platforms. This data processing is governed by Meta's Privacy Policy. You can manage your ad preferences through your Facebook Ad Settings.

We do not sell, trade, or rent your personal information to third parties. We may share data if required by law or to protect our rights and the safety of our users.

05. Data Retention

We retain your personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes described in this Privacy Policy, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law.

• Account Data: Retained for as long as your account is active. Upon account deletion, we will remove your personal data within 30 days, except where retention is required for legal or compliance purposes.
• Plugin Data: Published plugins may remain available on the store unless you unpublish or delete them. Removed plugins are purged from our servers within 30 days.
• Payment Records: Transaction records may be retained for up to 7 years as required by financial regulations.
• Technical Logs: Server and security logs are retained for up to 90 days for security and debugging purposes.

06. Your Rights

Depending on your location, you may have certain rights regarding your personal data under applicable data protection laws (including GDPR and CCPA):

• Right of Access: You have the right to request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
• Right to Rectification: You have the right to request correction of any inaccurate or incomplete personal data.
• Right to Erasure: You have the right to request deletion of your personal data (the "Right to be Forgotten"), subject to legal retention requirements.
• Right to Data Portability: You have the right to request a copy of your data in a structured, machine-readable format.
• Right to Restrict Processing: You have the right to request that we limit the processing of your personal data in certain circumstances.
• Right to Withdraw Consent: Where we rely on your consent to process data, you may withdraw that consent at any time.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the information in Section 10 below. We will respond to your request within 30 days.

07. Cookies & Tracking

We use cookies and similar technologies to enhance your experience on the Service. The types of cookies we use include:

• Essential Cookies: Required for the Service to function properly, including session management and authentication. These cannot be disabled.
• Preference Cookies: Store your preferences such as theme settings, editor configurations, and language preferences.
• Analytics Cookies: Google Analytics sets cookies (such as _ga and _ga_*) to distinguish unique users and throttle request rates. These cookies help us understand aggregate usage patterns including page views, session duration, and traffic sources.
• Marketing Cookies: Meta (Facebook) Pixel sets cookies (such as _fbp and _fbc) to identify your browser, track conversions from Facebook ads, and build targeted audiences for advertising on Meta platforms. These cookies may be used to show you relevant advertisements on Facebook and Instagram.

You can control cookie settings through your browser. Disabling essential cookies may prevent certain features of the Service from functioning correctly. You can opt out of Google Analytics tracking via the Google Analytics Opt-out Add-on and manage Meta ad tracking through your Facebook Ad Settings.

08. Children's Privacy

The Service is not intended for children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If we become aware that we have collected personal data from a child under 13, we will take steps to delete that information as soon as possible. If you believe that a child under 13 has provided us with personal information, please contact us immediately.

09. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or for legal, operational, or regulatory reasons. When we make material changes, we will update the "Effective Date" at the top of this page and notify you through the Service or via email.

We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically. Your continued use of the Service after changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.

10. Contact Us